PAGE 18 • WINTER 2005 THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SAILING ASSOCIATION
FEATURE STORY BOOK REVIEW
continued from page 16 continued from page 12
as most of the British navy died under soft focus or as to 70 degrees! Well, I didn’t stop at the islands, but
background fodder. My own mother couldn’t find me three years ago, I booked passage on a container ship
until I pointed myself out. I only counted four good mug from Long Beach to Osaka. The captain indulged me
shots of myself, and the main protagonists seemed to with a 14-day passage up to the Bay of Alaska and over
always get the pirates’ share of attention in each and the top of the Aleutian Islands and then down to
every scene, but my mom claims six sightings now. Who Hokkaido and Tokyo. Cook and Horwitz both write of
am I to burst her bubble? Besides, she’s seen it ten miserable weather and wild seas.
times more than I have
anyhow. My experience was totally different. The container ship
Hanjin Athens is 1000 feet long and 330 wide. Cruising
Hollywood, even in the speed is 25 knots. Our seas were flat, and the weather
Caribbean, is a political lot, clear. Nonetheless, I appreciate Cook’s challenge.
with a distinct caste system
that I have little desire to be Our paths cross once more and yes; the Elbow Room has
a part of, but I will say that a web site (you need to read this book). Hawaii is Cook’s
Johnny Depp and most of the end. He is killed here on February 14, 1779. Horwitz
lead actors and directors notes Cook’s declining skill and mental health
were quite approachable and throughout this voyage. And the picture Horwitz paints of
fun. Depp’s immersion into the social conditions of the people Cook discovered
character was fascinating to comes into focus. Cook was a great explorer, but the
watch, and I believe the consequences of these discoveries on the indigenous
The author enjoys a day out
strong role he takes in people were not great.
on the open water.
directing films that he stars
in makes his films uniquely As with the American Indian, the indigenous people
like him. I was most impressed at how well he could discovered by Cook are all but erased from the face of
hand roll his Bali Shag cigarettes with one hand on the world. Those who survive have lost most of their
French chocolate papers. In the end, most of us sailors culture. But Horwitz finds one positive overriding
tacked back to where we were headed before, but the message in Cook’s logs. Cook finds all people ‘were alike
memory will always live on of the pirate’s life we had. in their essential natures.’ He believed there were
grounds for mutual understanding. This may well be
My life was dramatically changed for the better by worth contemplation today.
getting out of the nightclub business those many years
ago. Being a part of the making of Pirates of the Bill Payne sails whichever boat is closest to him: Pilgrim off the
Caribbean was a fun, eye-opening experience, but was coast of California or Catch 22 around Osaka Bay. The Peter
nothing compared to the day-to-day experiences I’ve had Principal (reaching your level of incompetence) has kicked in for
on the water. It’s hard to say which has been more him with his Bareboat Chartering Certification.
spectacular – being soaked by orca whales launching
themselves from the sea, watching dolphins swim
through phosphorescence at night in the middle of the
ocean, the wonderful students I’ve had and become
NAME THOSE BOATS!
friends with all over the world, or simply feeling at home
in my boat where ever my anchor sets. I’ll never regret
listening to those warm winds, and letting a good tack go
in favor of a great one.
The End.
Nathan Lowe is a US Coast Guard Licensed Master, ASA
Instructor and Sailing School Director for Orca Sailing, an ASA
school specializing in the British Virgin Islands, Bahamas,
Croatia and the Pacific Northwest’s San Juan Islands, with
What type of boats are these?
options for private charters, chef service and family learning
vacations. See www.OrcaSailing.com or call (800) 664 6049 or
Answer on the ASA website at
(360) 671-4056.
www.asa.com
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